Brick-machine.



No. 707,276. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

W. F. STIMPSUN.

BRICK MACHINE.

{Applicatiqn filed June 25, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets$heet l.

Patented Aug. I9, I902.

. W. F. ST|MPSON.-

BRICK MACHINE. Ap lication filed June 25, 1901.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

THE "cams PETERS co, PHGTQUTHQ. WASHINGTON, I). c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.WAIJTER F. STIMPSON, OF DETROIT, MIGHIGAN.

BRICK-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 707,276, dated August19, 1902.

Application filed June 25, 1901. Serial No. 66,911. (No'modeL) 7 To a,whom it may concern:

Be it known thatrI, WALTER F. STIMPsoN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at De troit, in the countyofiWayn'e-and State of Michigan, have invented certainnew and use fulImprovements in Brick-Machines,of which the following is aspecification, reference be: ing had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

The invention relates to brick-machines of that type in which a columnof clay of suitable length isfed upon a cutting-table, which lattertravels with the clay column during the period of cutting and is thenreturned to its initial position to receive another length of clay.

The present invention relates more particularly to the mechanismemployed for propelling the cutting t-able during its forward movementand for locking .sai'd table after it has been returned; further, in thepeculiar construction of the tripping mechanism, whereby the actuatingmechanism carried by the table is first set in operation and issubsequently arrested after the completion of a out.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the construction ashereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brick-machine towhich'the improvementsare applied. Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof,showing the table diagrammatically. Fig. 3 is a cross-section throughthe cuttingtable, showing the cutter and its actuating mechanism. Fig. 4is an enlarged view. of a portion of Fig. 3. Fig.- 5 is aside elevationof the parts shown inFigJi. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion ofFig. v1 on an enlarged Fig. 7 is a cross-section on line 00 to,

movement of the clay column-rbythe combined frictional drive of thecolumn of clay upon said .table and by a mechanical connection with thesegmental gear-wheel O. The latter comprises anarm H, which is pivotallyconnected at one end to the table E and at its opposite end is providedwith a rackbar-I, adapted to engage with the segmental 6o gear 0. Fordisengaging the rack from said gear to permit-of the returning of thetable the pin or lug J, projecting from said gear,

is adapted at the completion of the forward movement of the table toengage with a flange K upon the arm H and to raise the latter, so

as to disengage the rack from the gear-teeth. The rack is held out ofengagementwiththe gear during the return movement of the carriage andafter the disengagement of the pin J from the flangeK by means of thesmooth peripheral flange L, whichcompletes the circuit of the segmentalgear.

The return movement of the table is ef= fected by connection with drivemechanism independent of the clay column, which connection is effectedby a clutch thrown into engagement at the completion of the forwardmovement of the table. The particular construction of the mechanismemployed for this purpose forms no part of the present invention, but isindicated as comprising a crank M upon the driven shaft N, which iscon-v nected by a rod 0 with the'table, The crank M is looselysleevedupon the shaft N, but periodicallyis' coupled thereto by a clutchP, adapted to be tripped by a projection upon the table E.

As the return movement of the table may be accomplished in less timethan necessary for the feeding thereon of the clay column,

it is desirable to provide meansfor locking said table in its returnposition until it is again to be fed forward. This locking is ef- Ifected by an arm Q, hinged at one end of the frame D and provided at itsfree end with a roll R. In the normal position of the arm Q this rollprojects into the path of the rack-bar I, while the latter is held bythe flange L out of engagement with the seg- 10o mental gear. The arm Hand the table are thus held from moving forward until in the rotation ofthe gear 0 it again comes into registration with said rack and thelatter falls into mesh. In falling the rack I will drop below the centerof the roll R, so that in moving forward said roll will mount upon theupper plain surface of the rack-bar and will not interfere with themovement thereof. In the return movement of the table the roll willremain above the rack-bar until the latter reaches its initial position,when said roll will drop into a position to again lock the bar.

In the initial forward movement of the table a considerable strain willbe exerted upon that tooth of the rack-bar I which first drops intoengagement with the segmental gear. To avoid danger of breaking, thistooth is therefore made of considerably greater width than thesucceeding teeth, while the segmental gear is provided with acorrespondingly-wider recess to receive the tooth.

The cutter carried by the table E is thrown into action during theforward movement of said table and completes its operation before thereturn movement. Heretofore constructions have been devised in which thecutter is started into action immediately upon the forward movement ofthe table. Such an arrangement is objectionable, for the inertia of thetable may cause a slight sliding of the clay column thereon in theinitial movement, and where the cutter begins its action immediately theresult would be that the cut would not be straight. In the presentconstruction the table must move a short distance before thecross-cutter is started, and, furthermore, the tripping or starting ofthe cutter-actuating mechanism is directly effected by the movement ofsaid tables.

In the construction shown in the drawings the cutter comprises arock-frame S, secured to a longitudinal rock-shaft S and provided with aseries of radially-extending cuttingwires S attached to longitudinalbars S and S on said frame. This rock-frame is reciprocated by theconnecting-bar T, having a traveling engagement with the longitudinalbar S of the frame and at its opposite end connected to a crank U. Thethrow of the crank is sufficient to impart the requisite movement to thecutters S in one half-revolution of the crank. The drive mechanismcomprises a shaft U, uponwhich the crank U is mounted, a gear-wheel Uthereon, and a pinion W, meshing with said gear and mounted upon theshaft W. The latter is constantly driven and has a beveled-gearconnection W with the shaft N for imparting movement to the latter. Thepinion W is, however, normally loose upon the shaft W and is onlyperiodically coupled therewith by a clutch W This clutch may be of anysuitable construction, but as shown comprises a dog a, pivoted to thepinion W and having one end 6 adapted to project into the path of aseries of pins 0 on the head (1, fixedly secured to the shaft W.

e is an arm of the dog a, adapted to bear against the hub f on thepinion, and thereby limit the outward movement of the arm I).

g is a spring for holding the arm e against the hub f.

h is an arm of the dog a, projecting out beyond the periphery of thepinion and forming a tripping and stop arm for the clutch.

With the arrangement of parts as above described whenever thetripping-arm h is freed the spring g will throw the dog into a positionwhere the arm I) will extend into the path of the pin a, and thus in therotation of the head d one of said pins will contact with the dog andcause the rotation of the pinion W. If, however, the arm h is arrestedin its movement by striking against the stop, the dog a will be rockedupon its pivot against the tension of the spring 9 until the arm Z) iswithdrawn from the path of the pin 0, thereby disengaging the clutch.

With the clutch constructed as above described it is evident that thecoupling or uncoupling of the pinion W to the shaft W is dependent uponthe withdrawal or replacement of the stop in the path of the arm h. Inorder that the coupling may be effected after inertia of thecutting-table has been overcome, the stop for the clutch is directlyconnected to said table. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, this stop comprisesa flange X, secured to the frame of the cutting-table and projectingdownward adjacent to the clutch W. This flange has two portions 2' andj, ar-. ranged in slightly-diiferent planes, but parallel to each otherand to the plane of movement of the table. The portion 1; is arranged tobe in the path of the arm h when the table is in its initialposition-2'. 6., before starting in its forward movement. It is alsoarranged so that a comparatively slight movement of said table willwithdraw the flange from the path of the arm h, permitting the clutch toautomatically couple,and thereby starting the cutting mechanism. Asbefore described, the movement of the cutters is caused byahalfrevolution of the crank U, which through the medium of theconnecting-rod T rocks the frame S from one side to the other of thecutting-table. In order to arrest the movement of the cutter, it isnecessary that a stop be placed in the path of the arm h, so as to tripsaid arm and disengage the clutch W. This stop is formed by a flange j,which is arranged in rear of the flange 'i, and in the forward movementof the table will travel across the path of the arm h. Thus when thepinion W has nearly completed one revolution the arm h will strikeagainst the flange j, causing the rocking of the dog a and thewithdrawal of the arm I) from the path of the pins 0, thereby arrestingfurther movement of the pinion. The pinion W and the gear-wheel U beingin the ratio of one to two, the latter will move through but 0ne-ha1frevolution to a full revolution of the pinion. After the clutch has beenthus disengaged the arm h will remain in contact with the flange jduring the remainder of the forward movement of the table and alsoduring the return movethe latter, but still holding the dog a fromengagement with the pins 0.

It will thus be understood that the flange X performs the doublefunction of releasing the clutch in the initial movement of the table tocause the startingof the cutting mechanism, and, second, the tripping ofsaid clutch after thecompletion of movement'of said cut-' ter andholdingit in its tripped position dur ing the return movement of thetable. For

convenience in casting, theflanges t' and Y jare slightly separated fromeach other to form a space It between, and the arm h is provided with anenlarged head Z, adapted to bridge said space is. This arrangement is,however,

not necessary, asthe flanges i and j maybe made to slightly overlap eachother.- The planes of the two flanges are separated sufficiently topermit the head Z to pass behind the flange j when it is disengaged fromthe the reciprocating cutting-table, the cutter Asthe present inventionrelates to the features above described, I deem it unnecessary tofurther describe the structure of the machine or to give the completeoperation thereof. a

What I claim as my invention-is 1. In a brick-machine,the combinationwith the reciprocating cutting-table, the cutter mechanism and a rotarydriver therefor, of a clutch forautomaticallyrcoupling said driver tosaid cutter mechanism, and havinga projecting tripping-finger, and amember carried by said table projecting i'ntothe path of saidtripping-flngerto form a stop for disengaging said clutch, said memberbeing cut away at one point to permit of the disengagement of saidfinger therefrom in the initial movementof said table. a

2. In a brick-machine, the combination with mechanism and a rotarydriver therefor, of a clutch for automatically coupling said driver tosaid cutting mechanism and having a projecting tripping-finger, a membercarried by said table projecting into the path of said tripping-fingerto form a stop for disengaging said clutch, said member being cut awayto permit of the disengagement of said trippingfinger in the initialmovement of said table and having a portion for arrestingsaidtripping-finger after'the completion of the cut and for maintaining itin its tripped position during the return movement of the table.

3. In abrick-machine, the combination with the reciprocating cuttertable, the cutter mechanism and a rotary driver therefor, of a clutchfor automatically coupling said cutter mechanism to said driver, andhaving a projecting tripping-finger, a member secured to said tablecomprising two flanges arranged to extend parallel to the plane ofmovement but in separate planes, one-of said flanges forminga stop forsaid finger in the initial position of said table, and adapted torelease the same in the initial forward movement, and the otherflangebeing adapted to rearrest said finger after the completion of thecut, and to guide the same into reugagement with said, first flange inthe return movement of said table.

4. In a brick-machine, the combination with a cutting-table, and a drivemechanism therefor deriving its movement from the traveling column ofclay, of a segmental gear connected with said drive mechanism and arack-bar connected with said table for engaging with said'gear-wheel,said rack-bar having an enlarged forward tooth adapted to first dropinto engagement with said gear-wheel.

5. In a brick-machine, the combination with a cutting-table and aforward drive mechanism therefor deriving its movement from thetraveling column of clay, of a segmental gearwheel connected with saiddrive mechanism, a rack-bar connected to said table adapted to drop intomesh with said'segmental gearwheel when brought in registrationtherewith, a hinged stop-arm adjacent to said rack and a roll upon saidarm forming a stop for said rack and adapted when the latter falls inmesh to ride over the upper face thereof until said table is returned.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature" 100 in presence of twowitnesses.

WALTER F. STIMPSON.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, H. 0. SMITH.

